What is your idea of exploration? by the Blog Travel Mole

“Men Wanted: For hazardous journey.  Small wages, bitter cold months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.”  Sir Ernest Shackleton

Exploration conjures up all sorts of ideas.  Polar exploration at the turn of the century was the big thing much as space exploration is to us now.  With today’s Big Bang experiment happening in Switzerland scientists are trying to explore what happened to 25% of the universe which apparently disappeared during the original Big Bang.  Exploration at its most extreme.  The explorer Bruce Parry has a current series on television exploring the Amazon – one glorious area of the world that still remains unexplored in parts.  And there are still many regions that are relatively unexplored thankfully – remember the recent aerial photos of the tribespeople who were shooting arrows at their first airplane?
 
The crazy thing is that some consider Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition a failure.  In terms of objectives achieved then they are right I suppose but what he actually achieved without a single loss of human life was utterly incredible and an inspiration to all who are interested in exploring.  And that would most definitely be me. Which is why I was so excited when, as the Imaginative Traveller Travel Mole, I was privy to the new trips we are planning for 2009.  Two stand out to me – a challenging trek along the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea and an expedition to Angola.

However you look at it though exploration can occur anywhere depending on your experience and outlook on life.  A city break in Paris is still exploring if you have never been there before. Or you might have to travel further to Mongolia say, for what you personally feel to be true exploration.

If you fancy joining us on some newexplorations next year then please email editor@imtrav.net for more information on some of our 2009 trips.